Come Back To Me
by shortfury18
Summary: The friendship between Judy and Nick has grown and they both have realized how important they are to each other. But, what happens when they become mixed up in a crime ring that is bigger than they thought and Judy is taken? Will Nick become the hero Judy has always believed in? Nick and Judy's friendship turns more serious as their lives take a drastic turn.
1. Chapter 1

Judy ran as fast as she could to the police station, her heart racing as she ran. She wanted to beat Nick to the station. Lately, he had been arriving there earlier than her, and she wouldn't stand for it. A smile spread across her face as she sprinted into the station. Clawhauser stood behind the desk, a box on donuts on the counter. Judy skipped over to him.

"Hey, Clawhauser, have you seen Nick today?" she asked, nonchalantly.

Clawhauser answered while eating a chocolate covered donut. "No, I haven't seen him today."

Judy silently cheered "Yes!" to herself. She had beat him today, and she could rub it in his face all day. She leaned against the counter, staring at the door. He would come in at any moment, and she could begin her gloating.

A few minutes passed and Judy's ears drooped. Why was he so late? He was usually here right on time. Her foot started tapping up and down rapidly and she crossed her arms. Where was he?

"Who are you waiting for, Carrots?"

Judy dropped her arms and turned to see Nick there, his signature sunglasses resting on his snout, with a smirk on his face. Judy sighed.

"Clawhauser, I thought you said he hadn't seen him!"

Nick chuckled. "Because he didn't see me. I snuck in when he wasn't looking just to throw you off."

Judy's nose twitched in annoyance. Nick just laughed and started to walk away. "Come on, Carrots, we need to get today's assignments."

Judy just sighed and gave a small smile. She followed Nick into their meeting room. She hopped on the chair that she and Nick shared, and eagerly awaited the assignment. Nick glanced at her and smiled. Gosh, she was overeager. Nick just chuckled and paid attention as Chief Bogo handed out today's assignments.

"Hopps, Wilde, there is a string of robberies in the heart of Zootopia. Go find out who is doing it and stop it."

Judy nodded. "Yes, sir!"

She hopped down from the chair and Nick casually slid off. "Alright, Carrots, let's go find this robber."

They walked together to their squad car and Judy climbed in the driver's seat. Nick got in shot-gun and smirked over at Judy. She smiled back and started the car.

"So, I have plan for today, Nick. Let's stake out the recently robbed stores. There has to be a pattern to these robberies. Any ideas?"

Nick examined the case file. "All the robbed stores are jewelry stores. I bet the next one is a jewelry store as well," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Then, let's get to it, partner!"

Nick just laughed. "Alright, _partner._ "


	2. Chapter 2

Judy and Nick examined the latest crime scene. There seemed to be no damage except that the keyhole was ruined. Besides that, the store was in perfect shape.

"Whoever did this knew how to cover their tracks," Judy noted.

Nick bent down to examine the keyhole. He noticed something peculiar about it. "Judy, check this out."

She looked at the keyhole and then gasped. A lock of fur was caught on the hole and Judy picked it up.

"It looks like…bear fur."

Nick took the fur from her. "Not just any bear…grizzly bear." Nick swallowed and glanced at Judy. "Hey, Carrots, we are dealing with something dangerous. Grizzly bears have a bad reputation."

Judy smiled and cheered. "Yes! Then this case will be interesting!"

Nick sighed and tried to hide his discomfort. He was worried about this case. Grizzly bears could be ferocious, and he was worried for Judy's safety. What would happen if they somehow were caught? Nick didn't want to think about that and decided not to worry Carrots. Instead, he put on a smirk and walked back to the squad car.

"Let's go back to the other crime scenes and see if we can find any other trace of grizzly bears, alright Carrots?"

Judy hopped in the driver's seat. "Great idea, Nick. There's one just down the block."

Judy drove to the next bank and climbed out of the car. Again, no damage was done except for the keyhole. She bent down and found no trace of fur. Nick joined her and looked around the building. He went around back to see if there was any evidence there. When he reached the back, he saw a black car hidden in the trees behind the bank. Nick looked back to see if Judy was behind him, and she wasn't. He gave a sigh of relief and quietly walked over to the car. He heard voices coming from inside and went closer to find out who it was. Just as he expected; two grizzly bears were in the front seat, discussing something. He couldn't do anything to them without any evidence, so he turned back to go find Judy. But he was too late. She was creeping up on the other side of the car, and Nick wanted to scream her name.

"Carrots!" he whispered. "Carrots, get back over here!"

She looked at him, smiled and nodded. Nick started to panic and tried to stop her. She went up to the passenger side and before Nick could stop her, she knocked on the window.

"Officer Judy Hopps, ZPD. I need you to explain what you are doing here? We found grizzly bear fur at the latest crime scene. Care to explain?"

Nick hurried towards her, but he wasn't fast enough. The door opened and Nick yelled at Judy. She glanced at him and cocked her head. He ran towards her and just as he was about to reach her, a paw reached out and grabbed Judy. She was pulled into the car and the door slammed shut.

"Judy!" Nick screamed.

He ran to the car, but it had started backing up. Nick chased after it as it pulled away. Judy placed her face to the rear view window and tried to shout Nick's name. He ran to the car and started to follow the car. He couldn't lose Carrots, not again. He wouldn't let anything happen to his best friend.

He followed the car through Zootopia, zipping past traffic and speeding down the highways. The black car swerved into the tunnel leading to the jungle. Nick went into the tunnel, and was right behind the car. But then, the car took a turn and Nick lost them in the dark. He searched the tunnel and ended up in the jungle, but when he looked for the car, it was gone. Nick punched the steering wheel and started to hyperventilate. Carrots…she was gone. He had to find her. He sped back to the station in order to find out who the fur belonged to. If he could find out who the fur belonged to, he could find Judy. He wouldn't give up.

"I'll find you, Carrots, I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

Judy sat in the back seat of the black car, silently panicking. What had she gotten herself into? Nick warned her! Why didn't she ever just listen to him? Her eyes were fixed on the outside of the car through the rear view mirror. She had watched Nick follow them, but then he disappeared. He didn't give up…did he? No, he wouldn't do that to her. They were friends. Nick would find her.

The car came to a stop, and Judy's breath was caught in her throat. The bear in the passenger seat opened his door and then opened the back seat door. He grabbed Judy and tossed her out of the car. She started to run, but she was stopped.

"Don't bother running, rabbit," the bear had said.

The bear on the driver's side walked over to Judy. He had a scar on his left eye, and his face was snarled.

"You're in trouble now, bunny."

Judy swallowed. "Back up is coming. You'll be caught and arrested for your crimes."

The bears laughed and the first bear grabbed her and picked her up. "What backup? That stupid fox? You can't trust a fox. He's not coming for you, sweetheart."

Judy refused to listen to him. Nick was coming, she knew it. He was her best friend; he wouldn't let her down. Judy was taken to a building in a canopy where other grizzly bears were gathered. Judy tried not to let her fear show. She had faced animals like this before…except she was with Nick then. _Stop that,_ she thought, _you can do this. Nick would be here soon. But for now, you have to do this on your own, Judy._ The bear holding her dropped her on the table and bears were surrounding. The largest one approached her.

"So, you have discovered our robberies. Do you know our plan, little bunny?" he asked, condescendingly.

The other bears chuckled and Judy jutted her chin out. "Whatever you're doing, I'm going to stop you!"

The large bear just smirked. "Sure, a _bunny_ is going to stop us."

Judy tried to find a way to get them to reveal their plan. "Of course I am. Your plan will never work."

The large bear raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you think so? This one has a mouth on her. Our plan will work."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Sure, and what are you planning to accomplish?"

The large bear bent down to look at her and she could feel his breath on her face. "With all the jewels and money we've collected, no one can stop us from becoming the dominant race. We're tired of all this _equality_ crap. It's time for a species to rise up, and we're going to be the first."

Judy tried to process this. The grizzly bears wanted to take over everything years had come to accomplish. They would ruin all the progress made. Zootopia had just gotten over a period of discrimination. They couldn't go through another. Judy faced her kidnapped in the eyes.

"It will _never_ work."

The large bear chuckled but then slapped her off the table. Judy fell the floor and instantly felt pain. Her head was spinning and her legs were buckled underneath her. The leader of the group snapped his fingers and the first bear she encountered picked her up again. She winced in pain as she was lifted.

"Stop it, stop it! You're hurting me!" she yelled.

The bear didn't listen, but continued carrying her. Then, he opened a door to a small room and threw her in. She landed on the floor and cried out in pain. The bear slammed the door shut, and Judy was left alone. She sniffed and cried out of pain.

"Nick…please hurry…"


	4. Chapter 4

Nick frantically searched the records for the DNA search. Clawhauser sat next to him, just as worried.

"So, Judy is in big trouble?" Clawhauser asked.

Nick shrugged. "I don't know. I just know I need to find her and get her out of there."

The computer dinged as it found a match to the fur. It was definitely grizzly bear fur, and now he knew Carrots was in danger.

"Clawhauser, alert Chief Bogo. I'm going to need all the backup he can muster. We're going to go save Judy."

Clawhauser nodded and called the Chief. Nick grabbed his things and started to run to his car.

"Clawhauser, tell Chief to follow my car!"

Soon, Chief was getting in his car with backup, and Nick began the trek to find his best friend. He had to keep assuring himself that she would be okay. She had to be. And he hoped that she knew he was coming. _Don't worry, Carrots, I'll be there soon._

Nick drove to where he had lost the car. He stopped the car and hopped out, waiting for the Chief.

"This is where I lost them. I don't know where they went."

Chief Bogo surveyed his surroundings. "Luckily, I know this area. We'll find her, Wilde."

Nick nodded. "Chief, I want to start the search now. They can't be far. Possibly close enough to go on foot."

The Chief shook his head. "No, Wilde, we need to wait for the rest of backup."

Nick scowled. He couldn't wait. He had to find her. "With all due respect, Chief, I'm not waiting. I'm finding Judy."

He set off running into the woods with the chief yelling at him to stop. Nick didn't look back, but kept running. He had to find her.

He ran for about an hour, when he found a canopy with a building. The black car was parked there. He had found her! He climbed up the canopy and peered into the building. Grizzly bears were surrounding a table, discussing something. Nick searched, but couldn't find Carrots anywhere. Where did they have her hidden? He crept around the building, searching for any way in. When he found a window, he debated whether to go in or not. Should he wait for Chief Bogo and backup, or should he just go in? Nick argued with himself for a few seconds before deciding. He took a deep breath and then jumped through the window.


	5. Chapter 5

Nick landed hard on the floor of the building. He groaned in pain and then slowly stood up. He had to find Judy. He walked a little and then heard voices coming from a room just a few feet in front of him. He slowly peeked his head around the corner and saw four grizzly bears gathered around a table. They were talking about something and Nick strained to listen.

"…won't find out, boss, I swear. The bunny is taken care of. No backup is coming for her, especially that stupid fox."

Nick resisted the urge to claw the bear's eyes out. Instead, he gritted his teeth and continued listening. The largest bear of the group spoke next.

"You better be right, or backup from the police will be the least of your problems. We can't let cottontail release an information. She has to disappear. Bruce," the bear said, turning to the bear to his right, "I need you to dispose of the little bunny. You know what to do."

Nick stifled a yell and then quickly and quietly retraced his steps. He had to find her. He walked down a hallway, looking for the room Carrots was in. She had to be here somewhere. Then, he saw a door that was closed and locked. That had to be it! Nick walked up to the door and tried to figure out a way to open it. But then, he heard footsteps approaching. Nick quickly darted into an open room and saw Bruce walking up to the locked room. Bruce took out a key and opened the door. Then the bear walked in to grab Judy. Nick knew he had to wait until Bruce had gotten Judy before Nick could save her.

Bruce walked out of the room with a limp, grey figure between his fingers. Nick growled quietly and waited for the moment to pounce. Bruce closed the door behind him and was about to walk down the hallway when Nick attacked. Nick jumped onto Bruce and scratched his face before grabbing Judy and falling to the floor. Nick cradled Judy and quickly ran back to the window he came in through. He heard Bruce call for backup, but Nick was too fast for the bears. He ran to the window and jumped out, taking special care of Judy as he tumbled into the jungle. Nick rolled down the hill he climbed up as he clutched Judy close to him. He had to keep her safe, no matter what.

He slowed down as he reached the bottom and came to a stop. Judy was still unconscious, bruising spotting her legs. Nick held her close and silently cursed the grizzly bears. As he was about to return to Chief, he heard the bears running towards him. Nick darted into the trees with Judy still in his arms. He hid in tall grass in the midst of a cluster of trees. The bears ran right past him, but in the opposite direction of the police. Nick breathed a sigh of relief, as he glanced down at Judy.

"Hey, Carrots, you can wake up now. I'm here. You're safe," he whispered.

Judy made no movement, and Nick felt panic rising up in his chest. "C'mon, Carrots, please wake up." When Judy still didn't wake up, Nick held her close and placed his chin on her head. "I promise I'll protect you, Carrots. I won't let any more harm come to you."

Nick curled up in a ball with Judy cradled safe in his arms. She would be safe with him, he swore that to himself and to her.

"Don't worry, Judy, I won't let you go."

He sighed and held Judy tight, listening to the sounds of the jungle at night. He would keep his eyes open at all times in case those bears came back. Nick curled up in a tighter ball as the wind chilled. He kept his ears and eyes open the whole night, protecting the most precious person he'd ever known.


	6. Chapter 6

When Judy woke up, she had a pounding headache and her legs were still sore. She looked at her surroundings and noticed that she was outside in the jungle. _Those bears just dumped me out here!_ she thought. But why didn't they kill her? Then she realized something was pressed against her back, and she heard soft breathing above her. She wasn't alone. She started to panic, and tried to move, but she couldn't. The thing holding her had a tight grip on her. She looked to the sides of her and couldn't get a glance at her captor. She moved a little and felt the animal move. The breathing sped up and she knew it was awake. Judy pressed against her captor and tried to get away, but the animal just chuckled softly.

"You won't get far on that leg, Carrots."

Judy gasped and turned around. Nick was smiling at her. Relief flooded through Judy.

"You…you came back for me," she whispered.

He grinned. "Of course I did. I wasn't going to leave my best friend."

Nick opened his arms and Judy fell into his embrace, her cheek pressed against his shirt. And then, it was like the floodgates opened inside of Judy. She started sobbing, her shoulders heaving as she cried into Nick's shirt. Nick wrapped his arms around her and let her cry.

"It's going to be okay, Judy. I'm here now."

Judy looked up and saw Nick smiling down at her. Judy sniffed and smiled back. "I knew you'd come back."

Nick just shushed her and her head dropped back against Nick's shirt. After a few minutes, Nick patted her head and she pulled away.

"Alright, Carrots, the chief and the rest of the police force were here last night. I don't know if they are still here or if they went back to the station."

Judy wiped her eyes and sniffled. "I don't know. They probably went back to the station."

She tried to stand but her legs failed and she collapsed into the grass. Nick draped her arm around his shoulders and helped her to move. With Nick helping Judy, she hobbled down the hill back to the road. Sure enough, the police were gone, except for one car. Nick and Judy scrambled down to the car and Nick peered into the windows. The smiling face of Clawhauser sat in the driver's seat. Nick sighed with relief and opened the door and sat Judy on the seat.

"You're okay!" Clawhauser exclaimed, smiling at Judy.

She giggled. "Why are you the only one still here?"

He blushed. "Well I couldn't leave knowing that you and Nick were still in danger. You two are my friends."

Nick chuckled. "Aw, how sweet," he said sarcastically.

Judy shot him an irritated glance before grinning back at him. "What Nick is trying to say is…thank you."

Clawhauser smiled. "Hop in Nick."

Nick raised an eyebrow at the pun the cheetah made and then climbed in the back of the squad car. Nick propped his feet on the seat in front of him and crossed his arms across his chest. Judy turned around to look at him and Nick gave her his signature grin. Judy's nose twitched and she smiled back. Then she turned back around and relaxed in the seat.

She still couldn't believe that Nick had really come back for her. She would still be in that room…or worse…if it weren't for Nick. She closed her eyes and images of the bears crossed her mind. She knew she would have nightmares of the grizzlies, but she also knew that she was safe with Nick. With him next to her, she felt happy and completely content. She wasn't sure what it was that was making her feel that way. Maybe it was because he had saved her, or maybe it was something else… She turned back around and Nick had his eyes closed, his breathing even. Judy felt a sudden urge to be near him. She realized what was happening and quickly turned back around. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. What was happening to her?

She tried to relax and forget about what had just happened. She didn't actually have feelings for her best friend…did she? Judy pushed those thoughts aside and just tried to enjoy the ride back to the station.


	7. Chapter 7

Nick Wilde couldn't keep his eyes open. He was awake most of the night watching Carrots, and now he was exhausted. Judy was still her hyper self, even though she was injured. And, for some reason, she seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him. And he was tired of it. Nick walked up to Judy in the police station.

"Hey, Carrots, why can't you look me in the eye today? Did I do something to upset you?"

Judy froze. "Um…no, no. Nothing's wrong."

She still wasn't looking at him. Nick leaned down so he was her height and she finally made eye contact.

"Tell me what's wrong, Carrots," Nick demanded.

Judy sighed. "I just…it's been a long day, Nick. I, uh…am having…nightmares."

Nick cocked his head. "What? About what?"

Judy was just making up an excuse to try to avoid telling Nick the truth about her feelings for him. "Every time I try to close my eyes, I see the room I was locked in, and I get scared."

Nick sighed and pulled Judy in for a hug. She graciously accepted it and buried her head in his fur. Her fingers interlocked behind his back and she never wanted to let go.

"It will be okay, Carrots. You're safe now. And the police are handling it for now. You can stay out of this case if you want to."

Judy pulled back. "But it's _our_ case, Nick!"

Nick sighed and shook his head. "Carrots, I really think you shouldn't be involved. You already got hurt once."

Judy puffed out her chest. "I can do it, Nick. Watch me."

She walked out of the police station, leaving Nick alone. He took a deep breath. He didn't want her to get hurt. He didn't really care about the other officers, but this was Carrots. She was special. Suddenly, Nick came to his senses. What was he saying? Sure Judy was his best friend, and he wanted to protect her… Oh no. He knew what was happening. He actually cared for Judy, and he cared a lot.

Nick ran out of the station and tried to catch up with Judy. She was climbing into a squad car when Nick caught her.

"Look, Carrots, if you're going to do this, you're not doing it without me."

Judy smiled and her nose twitched with happiness. Nick climbed into the car. "On one condition," he said.

Judy's ears drooped. "What is it?"

Nick looked her in the eye. "If it gets too dangerous, I'm pulling you out. I call the shots."

Judy stared at Nick. She had never seen this side of him before, but she knew that he was serious. "Oh…okay…deal," she said quietly.

Nick nodded. "Alright, floor it."

Judy chuckled and started the car. Nick took the police radio. "Calling all forces. Officers Hopps and Wilde are on the pursuit of the grizzly bears. Requesting backup."

Nick put the radio back into its holder and caught Judy glancing at him. "What? I want us to be safe."

Judy didn't say anything, but she was confused on how Nick was acting lately. He was so protective of her all of a sudden. She didn't know why, but she was sort of enjoying it. Judy drove back to the Rainforest District where she had seen the bears earlier. She was going to solve this case if it was the last thing she did. They had hurt her, and she wasn't standing for it.

When they reached the district, Judy and Nick hopped out of the car. Nick walked over to Judy's side and she leaned against him. Nick noticed how comfortable she was leaning on him, and he smiled. Judy looked up at him.

"So, where do we start?" she asked.

Nick took a deep breath. "We return to that cabin and see if we can find any evidence."

Judy nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Nick started to walk forward and Judy followed in suit. She was fighting the urge to hold his hand. Why was this happening? Why did she yearn to be close to him? He was her best friend, for Pete's sake! She kept up with him and stopped herself from saying anything she was regret.

Nick noticed how close Judy was walking by him. He shifted ever so closer to her, his mouth forming a satisfied smirk. He realized how ridiculous he was being, but she meant a lot to him. He wanted her to be happy, and if that meant growing closer to him, then that what was going to happen.

They reached the canopy where the cabin was. Judy shivered at the memory of it, but bit her tongue to stop from saying anything. Nick felt Judy shiver next to him and he looked at her.

"Hey, Carrots, if this is too much for you, we won't do this now."

Judy shook her head. "No, this needs to be done."

Nick nodded as the two of them began the ascent to the cabin.


	8. Chapter 8

When Nick and Judy reached the cabin, it was empty. The bears weren't there at the moment, and Judy breathed a sigh of relief. She climbed through the window that Nick had gone through before. She landed on the floor and waited for Nick to get through. The two of them inspected the house, looking for any signs of evidence. Nick walked into a room and spotted something on the floor. It looked vaguely familiar. He bent down and picked it up. When he realized what it was, he dropped it and backed away. Nighthowler. What was that _flower_ doing here?!

"Hey, uh, Carrots, you better get in here," Nick said nervously.

Judy met Nick in the room. "What is it?"

Nick sighed and pointed at the flower. "Look."

Judy saw it and gasped. "What? But I thought we got rid of those?"

Nick nodded. "I thought we did, too. But why do the grizzlies need those anyway? Bellwether already tried to take over with those and failed."

Judy had a bad feeling in her gut. "I don't know, but whatever it is won't end well."

Nick walked out of the room, feeling fear rise up in him. Last time he had gotten lucky. When he was shot with the gun, it was a blueberry. But what if this time… No, he couldn't think like that. No way was he going to go savage in any way.

Judy met Nick in the hallway and she saw him leaning against the wall. "Hey, Nick, we'll stop them before they can cause any harm."

Nick sighed. "I know, it's just…"

Judy placed her hand in his and squeezed. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Nick smiled down at her. "Same goes for you, Carrots."

She smiled and Nick pulled her in for a hug. He promised himself that no matter what happened, he would _not_ be infected by those awful flowers. And he silently promised Judy the same thing. She would be safe with him.

Judy pulled back and continued searching the house. "Okay, so let's think about what the bears are doing. They robbed jewelry stores and have Nighthowler with them. What do they plan to do with jewelry and Nighthowler?"

Nick shrugged. "I don't know, Carrots. What do you know?"

"I know that they want to become the dominant race. Maybe if they make every other species savage, then they can rise up. And with the jewelry and money, they'll be rich. That must be their plan!"

Before Nick could say anything, they heard the door open. Nick grabbed Judy's hand and pulled her into a room and closed the door. Nick curled up in the corner of the room with Judy by his side. The grizzly bears walked into the cabin and gathered in the kitchen. Judy perked her ears up to try to hear the conversation.

"The fox and bunny are gone, boss," the familiar voice of Bruce said.

There was a smash and the boss groaned. "They probably went to the police. Do you know what this means? We'll be ruined! Our plans will be for nothing."

Nick's heart was pounding and he tried to control his breathing. Judy sat next to him, her eyes fixated in concentration and her ears twitching. She glanced at Nick and gave a small smile and nod. Nick nodded back and he felt her put her hand in his. He looked down at his hand and saw her little grey hand entwined with his. His heart continued to pound, but now for a different reason. He looked back up at Judy and smiled. Judy turned back towards the door and tried to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"We have to move our base if the police know. Pack up. We leave tonight," the boss said.

Judy gasped and whispered to Nick, "We have to follow them!"

Footsteps were heard outside the door and Nick's hand instinctively covered Judy's mouth to keep her silent. Knowing her, she'll say something and the bears would find them. Judy felt Nick's hand on her mouth, and instead of becoming angry with him, she was surprisingly calm. When the footsteps faded, Nick's hand moved away from Judy. She glanced at him and smirked. Nick smirked back and they waited until they heard the bears leave the cabin.

"Okay, Carrots, let's go, I think they're gone."

They opened the door and Nick instantly regretted the decision. Bruce was waiting at the door. Before Nick and Judy could escape, Bruce grabbed them by their necks and dragged them into the kitchen where the other bears were gathered. Bruce set them on the table while continuing to hold onto their necks. The boss smirked evilly at the two small mammals.

"Well, looks like we caught you."


	9. Chapter 9

Nick scanned the kitchen, trying to find a way to escape. He saw the door, but there was no way he could get away from Bruce's grip. He glanced at Judy, and she was squirming, but to no avail. Nick looked back at the boss and felt anger rise up in him. The boss was just smirking at him.

"I haven't had a chance to introduce myself. My name is Saul, and I'm the one who's going to kill you."

Nick wanted to rip Saul's eyes out. "Kill us? Yeah right," Nick taunted.

Judy looked at Nick with fear in her eyes. He would get them both killed before she knew it. Saul just chuckled.

"Well, you two are the reason we may have to start completely over, so I'm eager to end your lives. Of course, I want it to be creative."

Nick suddenly was fearful of Saul and wanted to get him and Judy out of there as soon as possible. Saul walked over to Nick and stared him down.

"As you probably already know, we are using Nighthowlers to rise up and take over Zootopia. Now, I know that has already been done, but they made one fatal mistake: they were only targeting predators. We're targeting every mammal in Zootopia, and soon, we'll be the only ones who are still sane. Then, we'll take over and make everyone our servants."

Judy started to panic because she knew what was going to happen. History was repeating itself. Saul would make Nick and her go savage, and that would be the end of it. They'd kill each other. Judy felt tears on the brim of her eyes. She couldn't bear the thought of having to kill her best friend in order to not be killed. She had to find a way to stop this.

Saul nodded his head and Bruce carried Nick and Judy to a room in the back of the cabin. He threw them both in the room and slammed the door shut. Nick bolted to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. He groaned and returned to sit by Judy. He glanced at her, and her eyes were glistening with tears. His anger vanished and was replaced with sadness.

"Hey, Carrots, we'll be okay."

Judy whipped towards him. "Will we? You heard Saul! He'll probably test the Nighthowler on us. We'll kill each other!" Tears started to roll down her cheeks. "I can't bear the thought of hurting you, Nick."

Her head fell down as she sobbed. Nick sighed and pulled her to his side. "Listen to me, Judy. Even if we do get intoxicated by that awful plant, I would never hurt you."

Judy looked up at him. "But you would have no control…"

Nick smiled down at her. "I wouldn't hurt you, Judy."

She wrapped her arms around him and he held her close. "Everything will be okay…I promise."

Judy sniffed and pressed her face in Nick's shirt. He caressed her head and tried to convince himself, that yes, everything would be alright. Just as he was thinking that, the door to the room opened and Saul walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Well, you two are pretty lucky. You get to be my test subjects."

Nick pulled Judy behind him and bared his teeth. "Don't you _dare_ touch us!"

Judy hid behind Nick and tried not to panic. Saul just chuckled. "Well, you don't really have a choice, do you?"

Saul pulled out the gun that Bellwether used. Nick stared at it in shock. "How…how did you get that?"

Saul shrugged. "I have my ways. We started up the operation that the previous mammals had stopped. And now, I'm going to test it on you."

Saul pointed the gun at Nick. "Goodbye, fox."

He pulled the trigger and the bullet hit Nick straight in the leg. He fell over, writhing. Judy screamed as she tried to help Nick.

"Please, no! I can't lose you! Come back to me, Nick! Please!" she yelled.

Nick felt the flower working its way through his system. His thoughts were being clouded as only one thought came to mind: kill. That became his natural instinct. Nick tried to fight against the flower, but it wasn't working. He pictured Judy in his mind. _Focus on her,_ he thought to himself. _Then you'll come to your senses, Nick._

Judy kept screaming Nick's name as Saul just watched in amusement. Suddenly, Nick shot up and faced Judy, his back hunched as he stood on all fours. Judy backed away in fear.

"Please, no…" she pleaded, tears rolling down her face.

Saul laughed and opened the door and walked out. Then he shut the door again and locked it. Judy and Nick were alone. Nick was getting closer to Judy, his teeth bared.

"Nick, no! It's me! You have to fight it!" Judy yelled.

Nick only had one thought, and that was that he was about to kill his best friend. What was he doing? He had to stop! He stopped advancing towards Judy and shook his head. _Come on, Nick, fight this. Snap out of it. You promised yourself you wouldn't hurt Judy. And you never break a promise. And…Carrots needs me._

Nick stood there, trying to come back to his senses. Judy was frozen by fear, knowing that this would be it.

"Nick, before you do this, I just want you to know…I don't blame you." She became choked up and swallowed. "You…you were…are…my best friend, and…I love you."

Nick looked up and saw Judy staring at him, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her violet eyes were fixated on him and he knew he could fight it. _You can do it, Nick! Almost there!_ Nick backed away from Judy and continued shaking his head. He was almost back, he could feel that he was coming back to his senses. He had to prove to his best friend that he would not go savage. He had promised her.

Nick shook his head one more time and his thoughts returned to normal. Had he fought it? He looked at Judy, and her eyes were closed and her lip was trembling. Her whole body was shaking and she was whimpering. Nick sighed and stood back up on two legs. He was a little wobbly at first and almost fell, but he caught himself. He knew that Judy would probably be scared of him for a while, so he backed up against the wall and sat down and sighed. Judy was still against the other wall, shaking.

"Carrots," Nick whispered, "I did it."

Judy's eyes snapped open. She saw Nick sitting against the wall, panting. He smiled at her.

"You want to know how I got through it?" He paused and took a deep breath. "I thought of you." He chuckled. "And you know what? I love you, too."

Judy's mouth formed into a wide smile as she bolted towards Nick. She threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her.

"You're back," she whispered, through tears.

He chuckled. "Yes, Carrots, I'm back."

Judy held him tighter and whispered, "I love you so much."

Nick sighed and smiled. "I love you as well, Carrots. It's because of you that I'm no longer savage."

Judy pressed herself against him. "I'm never pulling away."

Nick hugged her tightly. "I'm never letting you go."


	10. Chapter 10

Judy was still in shock of what just happened. She had almost lost her best friend, and he had almost…hurt her. She still couldn't believe what had happened. But, when she looked up and saw Nick's piercing green eyes looking back down at her, she knew that everything would be alright. She held Nick tighter, pressing against him. Nick responded by holding her tighter.

"I told you, Carrots. Everything is going to be alright," Nick whispered.

Judy chuckled softly. "I'm so proud of you, Nick. You fought against it!"

Nick smiled as he kissed the top of Judy's head. "I know, but you helped me."

Suddenly, the door knob started to turn and Judy jumped away from Nick. "Quick, act like you're going to hurt me!"

Nick looked at her in horror. "What? No!"

Judy grabbed his arm and stared him in the eye. "Do it."

As the door opened, Nick went on all fours and started to growl at Judy. She responded by backing up against the wall and started to hyperventilate. Saul walked in and just stared at them.

"Huh, I had noticed that it was quiet, and I thought you had killed the rabbit already."

Nick turned to Saul, growling. Saul just laughed and said coldly, "I'll come back and check up on you. By then, I want her dead."

As Saul closed the door, Nick pounced on him, but hit the closed door. Judy let out a breath she had been holding.

"What are we going to do now? He wants me dead!"

Nick turned to her and sighed. "Well I'm not going to hurt you, so we have to escape."

"But how?" Judy asked, her eyes growing wide with fear.

Nick opened his arms and she ran into them, hugging Nick. He held her and kissed her forehead.

"I'm a criminal mastermind, remember?"

Judy chuckled. "That was before you met me, silly. Now you're a cop!"

Nick just smiled. "I'll get us out of here…somehow."

An idea struck him. "I got it!" Judy pulled away to look at Nick.

"What is it?"

Nick smirked. "Okay, you're going to scream like I just bit you, and when Saul comes to check up on us, we'll squeeze through the door. It will work, I know it will."

Judy was skeptic. "Whatever you say…"

Nick nodded at her. "Now."

Judy took a deep breath and screamed. "Please, Nick, no! Ah!"

Nick smiled at her and grasped her hand. "Now we wait," he whispered.

Just as Nick predicted, the door opened ever so slightly. Saul poked his head in, and Nick took the chance to run, pulling Judy with him. They made it out of the door and ran to the window they had come in, dodging grizzlies left and right.

"Carrots, jump!" he exclaimed, pushing Judy out the window.

She jumped out and rolled down the hill. When she finally stopped rolling, she looked at the window, waiting for Nick to tumble out. He never did. Back in the cabin, Bruce was choking Nick.

"So, thought you could escape, huh?" Bruce taunted.

Nick scrambled to get away, but the grip was too tight, so he did the first thing that popped in his head. He bit Bruce. Bruce dropped Nick and Nick took the chance to jump out the window. He narrowly missed being caught by Bruce again and tumbled out the window, joining Judy at the bottom of the hill.

"Nick, you made it! I thought I lost you!"

Nick stood up quickly. "Can't get rid of me that easily. Now, come on, we have to get to the police station!"

They began to run away from the cabin and towards the tunnel leading out of the Rainforest District. Nick head the grizzlies running after them, but he just kept going, making sure Judy was always a step ahead of him. When they reached the tunnel, Nick ran towards the squad car and they jumped in. Judy started the car and they made their escape.

When they were gone, Judy took this time to cheer. "Yes! We did it!"

Instead of joining Judy in the celebration, Nick was thinking about what had happened to him. He had become intoxicated by that evil flower and he almost hurt Judy. _I wonder what it would have been like…to hurt her…_ Nick quickly shook his head and got rid of that thought. Where had that come from? He thought he had gotten rid of all those thoughts. But, apparently, part of the flower was still in his system. He had to continue fighting it…for Judy.

"Nick, are you okay?" Judy asked.

He turned to her and faked a smile. "Huh? Oh yeah, perfectly fine. Let's just get back to the station so I can get some of Clawhauser's donuts."

Judy giggled and turned back to the road. Nick faced the window, and his smile faded. He could do this, and as long as Judy was with him, he could do anything.


	11. Chapter 11

Back at the station, Judy was recounting everything to Clawhauser, who was entranced by the story.

"Wow, so that really happened?" Clawhauser said in awe.

Judy nodded. "And we're not done yet. There's still so much to do. We have to stop the grizzlies from succeeding in their plan."

Nick was listening to Judy and Clawhauser, but he was keeping his distance. Even though he fought the effects of the flower, he could still feel it in his body. He could keep under control, but every once in a while, he could feel his savage self coming to the surface. Of course, he wasn't going to tell Judy. She felt safe with him, and he never wanted that to change.

Judy walked over to Nick. "Hey, are you alright? You're kind of…distant," she asked Nick.

He grinned. "I'm fine, Carrots. Don't worry about me. Worry about the grizzlies."

Judy nodded, smiling, as she went back to talk to Clawhauser. Nick sighed and crossed his arms. He wouldn't show any signs of that stupid flower in his system, and that was a promise.

When Chief Bogo heard what happened, he was furious. "You two went out there alone?!" he screamed.

Nick piped up. "In our defense, Chief, we did call for backup that never came."

Chief Bogo balled up his fists. "Don't do it again, Wilde. Understand?!"

Nick nodded and Judy said enthusiastically, "Yes, sir!"

Judy turned to Nick. "Okay, so I suggest that we investigate any animals that went savage in the last twenty-four hours and follow the bears' footsteps. Sound like a plan?"

Nick sighed and nodded. "Sounds good, Carrots."

Judy noticed that Nick wasn't his usual self. "Nick, what is really going on?"

Nick picked his head up to face Judy, and her violet eyes were full of questions. Nick scowled and turned away.

"It's nothing. I'll meet with you later. I have to go."

Nick could feel the flower's power taking over again, and Nick tried with everything he had to control it. He started to walk out the station, but then turned back to Judy.

"Oh, and Carrots, don't follow me."

He hurried out of the station and ran away from his best friend. Judy was left in the station, her heart pounding. Did she do something wrong? Her face felt flushed and her fingers started trembling.

"Why is Nick avoiding me?"

She walked back to Clawhauser, trying to fight the tears. "Clawhauser, did you see how Nick was acting?"

Clawhauser absentmindedly nodded. "Yeah, I did. What's up with him?"

Judy sighed and shook her head. "I…I don't know."

She turned away and started to walk out of the station. She pulled out her phone and dialed Nick's number.

"Pick up, Nick, pick up!" she muttered.

No answer. She groaned and shut her phone. She started to walk home, when she spotted her best friend curled up against a building.

"Nick!"

Judy ran to Nick and sat down next to him. "Nick, what's wrong? Please tell me!"

When Nick looked up at Judy, his eyes were filled with fear.

"Judy, please, I'm worried."

Judy grasped his paw. "What is it, Nick? You can tell me."

Nick swallowed and squeezed Judy's hand. "I can still feel the Nighthowler in my veins. Just because I overcame it doesn't mean it's gone. I'm afraid I will go savage again and…" he had to take a breath. "…and I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

Judy leaned up against Nick. "Don't be afraid. I'm here. We'll get you the cure so you can stop worrying."

Nick nodded, but was still nervous. He promised himself he would protect Judy, but what if Judy needed protecting from…him?


	12. Chapter 12

Judy sat next to her best friend, her arms wrapped around him and her head pressed into his fur. She was so worried about Nick, and she knew that he was worried too. She felt his heart pounding fast and his breathing rate increasing. She held him tighter.

"It will be okay, Nick, I promise. You can fight this. You already have once. I believe in you," she said quietly.

Nick suddenly relaxed, and his body went slack. Judy grew worried and looked up at him. His eyes were closed and his heart rate had decreased dramatically. She hopped up and inspected him.

"Nick…?" she asked quietly. When he didn't respond, she yelled, "Nick!"

He still wasn't responding, and Judy started to panic. She took out her work phone and called Clawhauser.

"Get someone here quick! Officer Wilde is down, I repeat Officer Wilde is down!"

Judy sat back down next to Nick and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his shirt.

"It will be okay, Nick," she whispered. "Please, stay with me."

Police and ambulance arrived moments after Judy called, and Chief Bogo walked over to Judy.

"What's wrong, Hopps?"

Judy sighed and said with a trembling voice, "Chief, Nick was shot with Nighthowler."

The Chief jumped back in shock. "What? And you didn't say anything?!"

Judy stood up. "But he fought it! At the cabin, he was infected, but he fought it! And now, it's coming back and…and I don't know what happened…"

Chief Bogo sighed and sent some men to get Nick. "Take Wilde to the hospital. We need to get him inspected."

Judy hopped in the ambulance with Nick and held his hand all the way to the hospital. The whole ride Judy was worrying about Nick. He still hadn't responded, but he had a pulse, so he was still with her. She leaned over and kissed his forehead.

"C'mon, Nick, you can do this. You can fight this!" she muttered.

When they reached the hospital, Judy followed as Nick was placed in his room. Judy sat next to his bed. Chief Bogo walked in.

"Hopps, it might be best to head home and wait to hear if he wakes up," the Chief said."

Judy stared at him. " _When_ he wakes up, I will be here, by his side. I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving."

The Chief nodded. "Very well then. Keep us updated."

Judy nodded as the Chief left. She held Nick's hand and placed her head on his chest. Suddenly, the tears started flowing, and soon Nick's shirt was moist with Judy's tears. She sniffled and hugged Nick.

"Please…you can't leave me…not now…" she pleaded. "I need you…"

Judy felt Nick's chest slowly start to rise and fall faster. His breath was quickening, and then it slowed back down. Judy whimpered and squeezed his hand.

"Nick…please…"

"Carrots, my hand is going numb…"

Judy shot up, and saw Nick grinning at her. She beamed and threw her arms around his neck.

"You're back!" she exclaimed tearfully.

Nick chuckled. "Yes, I am."

He slowly sat up, and groaned. "I'm fighting this stupid flower and because I'm fighting it, it decided to attack. And that's why I had my sort of meltdown. I should be okay for a little while, but I'm going to need that cure…soon."

Judy nodded enthusiastically. "Gotcha!"

She called for the nurses who came in with the cure and gave it to Nick.

"He's going to have to stay here for a few days while we monitor him," one of the nurses said.

Judy nodded. "I understand." She turned to Nick. "I'm not leaving. I'm staying here."

Nick raised an eyebrow and smirked. "That's very sweet of you, but you're not doing that. You need to solve this case."

Judy sighed. "I won't do it without you. So, you'll just have to put up with me."

Nick chuckled and opened his arms for a hug. Judy hugged him as he laid back down. She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. When the nurse left, Judy climbed in the bed next to Nick and held him tighter.

"I'm not going anywhere, Carrots. You don't have to squeeze me so tightly," Nick said.

Judy shook her head. "I'm staying right here, so get used to it."

Nick smiled and nuzzled his chin on the top of her head. He closed his eyes and held Judy until he slowly fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

When Nick woke up, Judy was still in his arms, and he smiled. "Good morning, Carrots," he whispered.

Judy groaned and sat up. When she saw Nick, she smiled back at him. "Good morning."

Nick sat up slowly and Judy hopped off the bed. "Hey, I think the cure worked. I don't feel the effects of the flower anymore."

Judy beamed. "Yes! I'm so happy that you're better!"

Nick chuckled. "Me, too. Now we can solve this case."

Judy took his hand. "Yes, but not just yet. You still need rest. That flower took a hard toll on you."

Nick waved his hand. "Nah, I'm fine. Let's get out of here."

But when Nick attempted to stand up, he felt dizzy and had to sit back down. Judy shot him a look.

"Do I really have to say I told you so?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nick groaned. "Alright, alright, I get it. I'll stay here."

Judy kissed his forehead. "You better stay here. I'm going to go work on this case," she said begrudgingly. "I don't want to leave you."

Nick rolled his eyes. "You need to do this. I'll be fine. And when I'm ready to leave this stupid hospital, I'll catch up with you. Deal?"

Judy sighed and nodded. "I promise I'll be back."

She smiled at him once more before running out of the room. She hated leaving him but she had to in order to solve this case and bring the bears to justice. She arrived at the police station, and gathered all the information she needed to continue on the case. She decided to go back where they left off: the cabin.

After letting the Chief know where she was going, she set off to go find the cabin again and find the grizzlies. When she arrived in the Rainforest District, she made the trek up the hill where the cabin was, and saw that there was a light in the kitchen. She peered in through the window and saw Saul talking to Bruce.

"Those two cops may have gotten away, but we still have the upper hand. They are not going to succeed in stopping us. Besides, our plan is already in action. With that stupid fox infected, he'll kill the bunny and there goes one of the cops."

Bruce cut in. "But I thought he wasn't infected? He escaped with the rabbit?"

Saul just chuckled. "Oh he's infected alright. No matter how hard he tries to fight it, he'll always lose to the effects of the Nighthowler."

Judy growled in the back of her throat. They tried once to hurt Nick and failed. Saul continued talking to Bruce.

"Now, he probably already took the cure, and he's cured…for now. You see, we improved the flower so that it is only temporarily stopped. He'll be fine for a couple of days, but then he'll feel the effects of it again."

Judy gasped. "No…that can't be true!" she whispered.

Bruce chuckled evilly. "So they can't beat us at all?"

Saul smirked. "There is only one way, but neither the fox nor the bunny can do it."

"What is it, boss?"

Saul lowered his voice so that Judy had to strain to listen. "They'd have to destroy the source, and only we have that."

Judy smirked. "If only he knew he just gave me the information I needed. Dumb bear."

She ran back to the car and drove back to the station. Running into the station, she ran into the Chief.

"Chief Bogo, I have some more information on the grizzly bear case!"

She recounted everything she had heard, and the Chief nodded. "Alright, Hopps, we'll get on that. Go check on Wilde and make sure he hasn't gone savage again. We'll fix this."

Judy nodded and ran to the hospital to check on her friend. She only hoped she could save him before it was too late.


	14. Chapter 14

Judy ran into the hospital room where Nick was staying, but he wasn't there. She grew worried and went to the receptionist.

"Could you tell me where Nick Wilde is?" she asked innocently.

The jaguar receptionist smiled at Judy. "He checked himself out about an hour ago."

Judy's heart started to pound. He could be in trouble! She thanked the receptionist and ran out of the hospital, pulling out her phone. She dialed Nick's number, and listened to it ring. On the last ring, Nick picked up.

"Carrots?" he asked quietly.

"Nick! Oh, thank goodness! Where are you? Why did you leave the hospital?"

There was heavy breathing on the other end of the line. "Judy…something's wrong. I took the cure, but… It's happening again. I'm losing control. I…I need you."

Judy gasped. "Nick, where are you? I know what's going on! Tell me where you are!"

There was silence for a minute, until Nick replied. "Do you remember where we first met?"

Judy nodded. "Be right there. Hang tight!"

She jumped into her squad car and drove to the elephant owned ice cream shop where she had first met her best friend. When she arrived, she saw Nick leaning against the wall, his eyes closed in pain. Judy jumped out of the car and ran to him.

"Nick, what's wrong?"

Nick looked at her. "It's taking control of me again, Carrots. I can't…I can't do this. I won't be able to control myself."

Judy hugged him. "It will be alright, okay? I went back to where the bears were and heard their plan. They changed the flower so that the cure would only temporarily stop the effects. The only way to stop the effects is to destroy the source…and the bears have it."

Nick listened intently, trying to stay conscious. "Okay…okay…we can do this."

Judy nodded. "That's the spirit, Nick. Just hold onto me."

Nick tried to focus on Judy, but his thoughts were drifting. He could feel himself going savage, and he had to get away from Judy. He thought her presence would help…but it wasn't. The flower was still effecting him.

"Judy, listen to me, okay? You need to get away from me. Go find the source and destroy it. I…I can't help you."

He groaned and doubled over as the venom of the flower traveled through his veins. His thoughts started to change, and he knew that soon he wouldn't have any control.

Judy grasped his hands. "No, I'm not leaving you!"

Nick knew he didn't have long left. He pushed Judy away from him. "I said get away!"

Judy felt panic rising up. She was losing her best friend…again. "No! You said you needed me so I'm staying!"

Nick's look of pain turned into a snarl and his fell on all fours, growling at Judy. She backed up away from him.

"Nick…please, don't do this!"

Nick was no longer in control. The flower had taken complete control over him. His primal instincts came out, and he wanted to hurt Judy. He advanced towards Judy as she kept backing away.

"Nick…no…" Tears fell down her face. "Stop! This isn't you!"

Nick got in a crouching position, ready to pounce on the bunny in front of him. Judy panicked and grew closer to her car. When Nick pounced, Judy jumped out of the way, and Nick collided with the car, knocking him out. Judy's legs were shaking and she was panting. She grabbed Nick's front paws and dragged him to the back of her car. She opened the truck, and threw Nick in, using all of her strength. After closing the trunk, Judy collapsed in a fit of tears.

"I lost him," she cried. "I lost him!"

Her head fell in her lap as she cried, and she knew that the only way to have her best friend back was to destroy the source of the Nighthowlers. She may have to do this by herself, but she was going to get it done, no matter what.

She walked to the driver's side and climbed into the car, calming herself down. "Come on, Judy, it's time to focus."

She started the car and drove to the Rainforest District with Nick passed out in the trunk. She felt terrible for leaving him back there, but he wasn't himself anymore. She had to accept that.

As she was driving, she heard a groan come from the back of the car. Judy slammed on the brakes and pulled over to the side of the road. She grabbed a weapon and jumped out of the car, walking to the back. If she had to keep knocking him out, she would. She opened the trunk, and Nick tumbled out onto the road. She raised her weapon (a bat) over her head.

"If you make any sudden movements, I will knock you out…again."

Nick felt his thoughts coming back to him. This was getting annoying. He knew had control for now, but this had to stop. They had to stop this ever-changing change in control. He shook his head, before standing up on two legs. He saw Judy glaring at him with a bat over her head. _She's going to kill me_ , he thought. He placed his hands in front of his face.

"Easy, Carrots. It's me right now. But…you may need to knock me out again, just in case I turn savage."

Judy dropped the bat in relief and ran to Nick, embracing him. "I will do whatever I can to make sure you stay yourself," Judy muttered, her face in his shirt.

He chuckled quietly. "Okay, enough of this." He pushed her back. "I'm going to stay here in the car. Lock it while you go to the bears."

Judy shook her head. "If it's you, I need you! I can't do this alone!"

Nick sighed. "Judy…listen…if I go savage again, I might hurt you. I almost did the last time. Just trust me, okay? I need you to do this."

Judy's lip trembled as she hugged Nick again. He hugged her back and muttered, "You need to knock me out again. I can't hurt you unconscious."

Judy nodded as Nick jumped into the back of the car. "So you don't have to lift me again."

Judy held the bat over her head. "Close your eyes."

She knocked him unconscious, wincing as she did so. Then she closed the trunk and climbed back into the driver's seat.

"Time to destroy that cursed flower."


	15. Chapter 15

Without Nick by her side, Judy was nervous and scared to face the bears, but she knew she had to. She drove to the cabin and parked the car. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the bat and climbed out of the car. She walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk to see Nick still unconscious, his breathing steady. Judy sighed and closed the trunk door.

"I'm sorry, Nick, but I have to do this alone."

She ran up the hill to the cabin and saw the lights were on. She saw the grizzlies inside the cabin, conversing in the kitchen. She peered in the window and saw a large Nighthowler flower on the table, and Judy knew that flower was the source. She had to somehow destroy the flower and save Nick.

She walked around the cabin to a different window and climbed inside the cabin. She heard whispering coming from the kitchen, and knew she had to distract the bears to draw them away from the flower. Judy hurried into an empty room across the hall, clutching her bat. She looked around, trying to figure out how to distract the bears. Then, she looked at her bat and smirked. She threw the bat at a door further down the hallway and darted into the empty room she was in. She heard the whispering stop and then footsteps coming towards her. She hugged the wall and held her breath as the bears walked past her towards the sound of the bat. When they passed her, Judy quietly slipped past them and hurried into the kitchen. She saw the flower sitting on the table and was about to grab it when she saw Saul sitting with his back to her. She gasped and held her breath, trying not to make any sound.

Judy had to get Saul away from that flower, and she had an idea. She took out her carrot pen and smirked. She had used this pen the first time she met Nick as leverage for the otter case, but now she just used it for fun. The last thing recorded on the pen was Nick telling Judy's favorite story that she listened to whenever she was upset. She pressed the button and threw the pen away from the flower. Nick's voice filled the cabin.

"You want me to tell it again? Alright, just for you, Carrots. A long time ago, a dumb fox and a sly bunny met for the first time as enemies. But they got tangled in something together and had to cooperate. As time went on, the two enemies soon became best of friends, something that neither of them ever thought would happen. Happy?"

Saul shot out of his chair and hurried towards the voice. "Bruce, the fox is here!"

When Saul was out of the room, Judy jumped on the table and grabbed the flower. She hurried to the kitchen window and opened it, just as Saul and Bruce returned back to the kitchen.

"The bunny has the flower!" Saul screamed.

Judy jumped out the window and tumbled down the hill, clutching the flower to her chest. As she reached the bottom of the hill, she hurried to her car. She saw the bears running down the hill, but Judy had already started the car and drove off.

Just as she was catching her breath, she heard growling behind her. Judy gasped and pulled over. She jumped out of the car with the flower and opened the trunk. Nick jumped out, on all fours, his mouth snarling. Judy held the flower to her chest and took a deep breath.

"Okay, Nick, this is it. Hopefully this works."

She took out a lighter from her belt and lit a flame. She placed it to the flower and the flower went up in flames. As it burned, Judy dropped it to the ground and crushed it until it was just ashes. As soon as the flower was burned, Nick's eyes cleared and he returned back to his normal self. His mind cleared and suddenly he saw Judy standing in front of him, her eyes fixed on the burnt flower. He stood up on his legs and leaned against the car. Judy glanced up at him, her face serious. Nick stood there, breathing heavy.

"So…is it over?" he asked.

Judy slowly nodded. "I think so." She blinked once before continuing. "The bears are coming after me, so maybe we can lead them to the station."

Nick saw how stone-faced Judy had become and he was afraid he had lost her forever. "Yeah, you're right." He swallowed. "Uh, why don't you drive back to the station and I'll…uh…wait here for another ride." He sighed. "I wouldn't want to cause you any more…pain." He said the last word with such hurt he was afraid Judy would hear him stifling tears.

Suddenly, Judy started gasping and her eyes filled with tears. "Nick…I almost lost you," she whispered.

Nick wanted to comfort her but didn't want to get too close. "But you defeated the bears and saved Zootopia, once again." He gave a small smile. "I'm so proud of you, Judy."

Judy was still in shock. "I'm just glad it's finally over."

Nick nodded and said quietly, "I understand if you don't want to be near me anymore. I scared you, and I almost hurt you. When I went savage, it was the worst experience of my life, but I should have been able to control myself. When I couldn't, I felt awful. So…if you don't want to be partners anymore, I understand. And if you don't want to even be…friends…I understand that as well."

Nick waited for Judy's response, and when she didn't answer, Nick knew what she wanted. "Okay, I guess I'll just leave then."

As he started to walk away, Judy yelled, "Wait!"

She ran towards Nick and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't leave, please! I need you!"

As her tears were soaked into Nick's shirt, he held her close to him. He sighed with relief. "I won't go anywhere if you don't want me to, Judy."

After Judy cried out her sadness and shock, she faced Nick. "None of this was your fault, Nick. You couldn't control yourself. And I know that will never happen again, because I trust you."

Nick smiled and pulled Judy into a hug. "Thank you for believing in me, Carrots."

Judy hugged Nick and felt a big weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She never wanted to lose Nick, and now she knew that she never would again. Their bond was tighter than ever and nothing would break it.

Judy looked up at Nick and smiled. "Let's go back to the station…together."


End file.
